Pilot light for oil burners



40ct.v 22, 1935.

PILOT LIGHT FOR OIL BURNERS Filed March 15, 1952 v gw;

, L. v. LUCIA. 2,018,369

lPatented Oct. 1935 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oi-jFlcE 2,018,369 rILo'rLIGn'r Fon on. BURNERS Louis V. Lucia, Hartford, Conn. Application March 15, 1932, Serial No. 598,979 s claims. (c1. 15s-86) great deal of attention and alertness on'the part of the user, and unless care is exercised the burner cannot be made to burn properly.

A great deal of soot and smoke will be formed and even dangerous conditions may be created by carelessness or inexperience in starting the burner. q

By means of my improved lighter it is possible to ignite an oil burner by simply opening the burner valve to the desired position.

My deviceA consists of a pilot light by means of which the burner wicks are ignited automatically when they have become sufficiently saturated with fuel. Heretofore several attempts have been made to provide pilot lights for this type of burner, but they have not been successful, due to the fact -that the lighter tips quickly become carbonized so badly as to stop the ow of fuel in the pilot wicks.

Another serious objection has been presented heretofore by the necessity of having more than one pilot light in each burner on account of the multiplicity of wicks contained therein which have to be ignited to preheat the burner.

In the average oil burner of the range type there are at least two and in some there are three or more wicks which have to be ignited. To provide a separate pilot for each wick is' prohibitive on account of the cost of fuel for-maintaining the pilots in operation.

In my improved device I have provided means whereby the accumulation ofcarbon is practically eliminated and further means whereby a burner can be lighted completely,by means of a single pilot light, regardless of the number of wicks which are to be ignited in the burner.

To accomplish these results I provide means as shown in the drawing in which;

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a range burner showing my improved lighter attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in sections, showing the assembly of the lighter tip and pilot light at the base of the burner.

Fig. 3 is aplan view of the same assembly, partly in section.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the same, showing part of the burner base with the lighter attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a viewshowin'g a modiiedvform of my invention.

Fig. 6 is a view showing a lighter tip embodying further modification of my invention.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts through- 5 out the several views.

The numerals 5 5 represent the two burner units of an ordinary range oil burner.

`Thelnumerals 6 6 denote the regular burner valves provided and connected to supply fuel to 10 said burners by mean's of tube connections wherein the fuel e'nters through tube 1, through valves 6 6, and tubes 8 8 to burners 5 5.

My improved lighter consists of valves 9 9 which are connected to fuel supply by means 15 of a valve bar I0, being attached to body oi burner valves, but before said valves.

Each lighter tip is connected to one of the valves 9 9 by means of the tubes I I I land consists of a tip I2 made of a suitable metal to resist 20 the heat to which it will be subjected. 'Ihis tip is threaded on the outside to t a clamping nut I3, washer I4, andq bar I5, by means of which the said tip is attached through openings 40, between the combustion grooves in the ordinary burner 25 base I6. A wick reservoir chamber I1, is formed at the bottom of each lighter tip to contain a` length of the pilot wick I8, and a fitting I9 is threaded into the end of said reservoir" for connecting the fuel supply tubes II.

The pilot wick extends from the upper end of the lighter tips and is positioned toV one side so that the end of said wick will rest in the outer combustion chamber 20, of the burner, and above the outer one of the burner wicks 2I 2I, which 35 are contained in oil grooves 22-22, in burner bases I6. A pilot cap plate 23, is mounted on the bar I5 over the pilot wick and the end of said wick is ignited to provide a pilot flame 24.

' A lighter wick25,is supported over the cap plate 40y 23, as shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawing. `The ends of this lighter wick are positioned in the oil grooves 22-22 and secured therein, and in contact with burner wicks 26 20 preferably b'y means of clamping pads 26-26 which are made 45 of short pieces of wicking.

A cap 21 is mounted on the bar I5, over pilot cap 23, and wick 25, to provide a passage 28 between the outer combustion chamber 20 and the inner chamber 29.

I Those ofl the burner shells which t over lighter caps are notched as at 30 to fit over said caps 21.

In Fig. 5, Ihave shown a modified form o1'- lighter in which the pilot lightI- is locatedl within the outer combustion groove. 'I'he wick for same 55 extends through the burner base into the upply tube which is connected by means of tti I9, shown in Fig. 2, being received into the'thireaded boss 31. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the burner base contains more than two combustion chamw In the modified form shown in Fig. 6 the lighter tips are constructed for a double pilot. In this form the wicks 31 and 39 are run through the tip 38, which is connected to fuel supply in same manner as form shown in Fig. 2. A cross tube 32 is provided at the 'upper end extending through the tip, and providing double ends through which the wicks 36 and 31 are positioned, one over each burner wick. In this form no passage for lighter wick is provided, but it is not as desirable a form of my invention as a pilot is provided for each burner wick which increases the cost of maintaining the lighter in operation.

In the use of my improved lighter the device is set in operation by simply opening the valves 9 9 to permit the fuel to saturate the pilot wick I8, and then lighting the pilots as shown at 24 with a match or taper. If it is desirable, the size of the pilot flame can be adjusted by partially opening or closing the valves. The lighter is now in operation and the pilot will burn continuously as long as fuel `is supplied to it, which is done from the regular burner fuel supply. Due to the particular construction of the pilot cap 23, a carbonization of the pilot tip is practically eliminated. 'I'he cap which is made of fairly light and heat resisting material is heated to a sumciently high temperature by the pilot light to burn off any carbon which would otherwise tend to accumulate at the point.

This cap 23 also provides apassage for air which greatly aids in the proper combustion of the fuel in the pilot light and this too minimizes formation of carbon.

It has been found that the only part which will accumulate any carbon is the end of pilot wick. After considerable time, if then necessary, this wick `can be easily trimmed by simply pulling out 'and cutting off the end thereof as much as necessary, thus leaving the entire lighter clean.

I claim as my invention; 1. In combination with a burner comprisinga base having spaced concentric fuel grooves, concentric tubes forming spaced combustion chambers overlying and communicating with each of said grooves, and a fuel supply pipe supplying fuel to said grooves, a lighter communicating with said fuel supply pipe ,and comprising a wick in lighting proximity with one of said combustion chambers, and a wick comprising means interconnecting said comb-ustion chambers to'provide for the passage of an igniting fiame from one of said combustion chambers to the next.

2. In a burner comprising a base having spaced concentric fuel grooves therein and spaced concentric tubes forming spaced combustion chambers/overlying and communicating with each of said grooves and means for supplying fuel to said grooves, a lighter comprising avtube attached to said base between said chambers, a pilot wick projecting from said tube, a capove'r said wick to position the same within one of said combustion chambers, a passageway intercommunicating said combustion chambers, means for the transfer of aA flame thru said passageway and means for supplying fuel to said wick.

3. In a. burner comprising a base having spaced concentric fuel grooves therein, and spaced concentric tubes forming combustion chambers overlying and communicating with each of said grooves, and air spaces between said chambers, ar tubular lighter tip positioned in one of said air spaces, a cross member attached to said lighter tip, a wick projecting from said tip, a cap Aremovably attached to said cross member, said cap overlying said wick and forming a passageway interconnecting said combustion chambers, a wick extending thru said passageway, means for supplying fuel to said wick and separate means for supplying fuel to said grooves.

4. Iny combination with a burner having spaced concentric fuel grooves, concentric tubes mounted above said grooves and 1- forming combustion chambers communicating with said grooves,

wicks contained in said grooves, means to supply fuel to said wicks, passageways interconnecting said combustion chambers,` and va wick lying within said passageway and in lighting proximity with the wicks in said fuel grooves.

5. In combination with an oil burner comprlsing a base having spaced concentric grooves and spaced concentric` tubes mounted above said grooves and forming combustion chambers communicating with said grooves, means to supply fuel to said grooves from a fuel supply, wicks mounted in'I said grooves, a lighter comprising a tip attached to'said base, a tube communicating said tip with said fuel supply, a. valve controlling the supply of fuel to said lighter, a. wick extending thru said tube and projecting from said lighter tip, a cap over said tip for holding said wick in lighting proximity to the wick in one of said fuel grooves, a passageway interconnecting said combuston chambers and a wick within said passageway for conducting a. fiame from one of said combustion chambers to the next.

6. In combination with an oil burner comprising a base having spaced concentric grooves, spaced concentric tubes overlying the said grooves and forming combustion chambers communicating with said grooves, an air supply opening between said combustion chambers, members forming passageways between said chambers, means extending thm said passageways to ignite the fuel in all of said grooves after the fuel in one of the grooves has been ignited, notches in said tubes adapted to flt over said members and means supplying fuel to said grooves.

7.. In combination with an oil burner comprising a base having combustion chamberstherein and means supplying fuel to said combustion chambers, a lighter tip mounted between said chambers, a pilot wick projecting from said tip and extending into one of said combustion chambers, a first cap overlying said wick, means supplying fuel to saidwick, a second cap overlying said first cap and adapted to provide a passageway for a flame between said combustion chambers and means for the transfer of said flame thru said passageway. l

8. A burner comprising a base having spaced concentric fuel grooves` therein, means for supplying fuel to said grooves, a single igniter for igniting the fuel in one of said fuel grooves, means providing for the passage of. an igniting flame from one of said fuel grooves to the next, and separate means for supplying fuel to said igniter. 

